Iually-operated stock-feed cutter



(No Mod e1.)

W. J. MALLARD.

MANUALLY OPERATED STOCK FEED CUTTER.

No. 579,884. Patented Mar. 30, 1897.

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XVILLIAM J. MALLARD, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

MANUALLY-OPERATED STOCK-FEED CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 579,884, dated March 30, 1897.

Application filed May 4, 1896. Serial No. 590,198. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. MALLARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atlanta, in the county of- Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Manually-0perated Stock-' Feed Cutters, of which the following is a specification.

It is the purpose of my invention to provide a manually-operated stock-feed cutter which shall be capable of double action or operative in both directions of movement of the cutter.

It is a further purpose of my invention to provide a feed-cutter which shall be of cheap construction, rapid in operation, and durable.

My invention also comprises a novel construction and arrangement of parts whereby a knife having two cutting edges is pivoted or fulcru med at its lower end beneath and in the central vertical plane of the feed-box, its blade being supported and guided upon both sides from its pivotal point to the bottom of the feed-box, and having a like support on both the vertical sides and across the top of the feed-box, whereby I not only give aslight shearing action in both directions of movement, but am able by reason of the support and guidance given to the knife to use a much thinner blade than would otherwise be required, thus effecting aconsiderable economy of material and decreasing the labor and expense of manufacturing the cutter and keeping its edges in good condition.

My invention consists to these ends in the several novel features of construction and in the new combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter fully described, and then particularly pointed out and defined in the claim which concludes this specification.

In order that others may fully understand and be able to make and use my said invention, I will now proceed to explain the same in detail, reference being had for this purpose to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of a stockfeed cutter in which my invention is incorporated. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken in the central longitudinal line of the feed-box. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken transversely to and directly in front of the exit end of the feed-box.

The reference-numeral 1 indicates a receptacle or box, preferably rectangular, upon which the operative parts of my feed-cutter are mounted, said box providing a convenient receiver for the hay, straw, or other material as it falls from the knife. The top of the box is partlyinclosed to form a sufficient platform 2, upon which I permanently and rigidly erect two parallel walls 3 to form a guide for the feed as it passes to the knife. The space inclosed by these walls constitutes a feed-box, which is preferably central on the platform 2 and is arranged transversely to an open space 4, through which the cut feed falls into the box 1 and by which it is removed when wanted.

From the platform 2 hangs a bracket 5, directly under the exit end of the feed-box and dropping to some distance below the lower face of the platform 2. This bracket is divided into two parts by a narrow space 6, which lies in avertical plane transverse to and intersecting the feed-box at a point near its end. In the same plane the space 6 is extended through each of the walls 3 continuous with a like space formed by two parallelstrips 7 upon the top of the feed-box, one upon each side of said space. The same guide-space 6 is also extended through the platform between the walls 3 and to the opposite sides of the platform.

Lying in the guide-space 6 is a straight double-edged cutter, the lower end of which is pivotally mounted or fulcrumed between the lower ends of the two parallel parts of the bracket 5. The blade extends upward above the top of the feed-box and is provided with a handle 8 of any suitable kind.

The feedis introduced through the feedbox and is fed forward as the cutter operates, the latter cutting in both directions of movement. As its pivotal point is in a vertical line passing through the center of the feedbox the edges have at each stroke a slight shearing action, which materially assists their action. Being supported upon both sides throughout its entire extent of movement, and especially being supported and guided on both sides by the four walls which inclose the feed-box, the blade of the cutter can be safely made much thinner than would be practical without such support. This not only enables me to economize in the use of the metal of which the cutter is formed, but it renders the action of the knife easier and enables the user to keep the cutting edges in good condition with less labor than is required in using thicker blades.

The feed-cutter is extremely simple in construction, comprises few parts, can be rapidly and easily operated, cuts in both directions of movement of the knife, can easily be kept in order, is durable, and can be manufactured at a small expense as compared with ordinary apparatus of the same class.

It will be seen from the drawings that my straight two-edged cutting-blade has a range of movement equal to the length of the platform 2, thus giving it a cutting stroke of considerable length on either side of the feed-box, between the latter and the end of theplatform. Evidently this construction renders the cutter available for various uses besides cutting hay and straw that are fed through the feed-box 3. For example, vegetables of all kinds and roots which are commonly fed to stock and which should be cut up fine enough to avoid all danger of choking can be easily and rapidly sliced. Many such vegetables will not go through the feed-box because of their size, such as pumpkins. Many small substances are not easily or safely cut up by feeding through said box, as there is always danger of cutting off the fingers. All these may be sliced with great advantage by placing them on the platform against either side of the feed-box, which will resist the push of the knife and relieve the operator from the necessity of holding them in place. \Vhen placed between the cutter and the end of the platform, the downward movement of the knife, which is constantly approaching a vertical direction, will bind the vegetable or material between it and the platform 2 sufficiently to hold it.

I am aware that different cutters for outting feed, bread, asparagus, and vegetables have been proposed having knives pivoted upon a platform and beneath the same and working in slots which support both sides of the knife, and that a bread-cutter and asparagus-cutter are known in which a knife is supported at each end of the cutting portion of the edge. I make no claim, broadly, to any of these features.

What I claim is In a stock-feed cutter, the combination with a box having a platform partly closing its top, of a feed-box mounted centrally and transversely on said platform and consisting of two vertical walls and an upper wall of less extent arranged close to the exit end of the feed-box and near the edge of the platform overhanging the 'interior of the box, a bracket consisting of two independent slightly-separated parts hanging vertically :from the lower face of the platform near its edge, and a straight two-edged blade having its end pivoted between the lower ends of the parts of the bracket and extending upward through a slot running from end to end of the platform and coinciding with a slot passing entirely through the three walls of the feed box, whereby said knife has a range of effective movement equal to the length of the plat form and has support on both sides throughout said movement, those portions of its edges which act on material passed through the feed-box being supported on both sides immediately above and below the material operated upon the box being open to its full capacity, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

"WILLIAM J. MALLARD.

Witnesses:

\V. J. D. MoCni-rrnn, C. W. OBRYAN. 

